1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus diagnostic system which diagnoses a remote diagnosed device by transmitting a problem generation notification to an apparatus diagnostic device when a problem is generated in the diagnosed device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a conventional apparatus diagnostic system which detects problems such as a diagnosed device malfunctioning, and automatically sends a problem generation notification to an apparatus diagnostic device of a service center or the like via a communication line. The apparatus diagnostic device analyzes the problem generation notification transmitted from the diagnosed device. When necessary, contact is made with a user of the diagnosed device, or a maintenance worker makes a visit to repair the diagnosed device.
In such a conventional apparatus diagnostic system, when detecting a prescribed problem, the diagnosed device uniformly carries out a problem generation notification to the apparatus diagnostic device. However, according to the nature of the problem, there are types of problems that can be dealt with easily by the user of the diagnosed device. When the problem can be handled easily by the user of the diagnosed device and an instruction is made from the service center by telephone or a maintenance worker makes a visit to the diagnosed device, the user is disturbed by this service.
However, it cannot be determined uniformly whether or not the user who is actually using the diagnosed device can deal with the generated problem. The reason is because whether or not the user can deal with the problem is based on the experience of the user or the knowledge of the user of the diagnosed device. In addition, the user can deepen the experience or the knowledge of the diagnosed device through the use of the diagnosed device, and the ability of the user to deal with the problems changes over time.
In the conventional apparatus diagnostic system, for example, the diagnosed device and the apparatus diagnostic device could not deal with the above-mentioned changes in the experience or the knowledge of the user over time. Therefore, there are problems that the user was disturbed or maintenance costs increased due to unnecessary instructions by telephone calls or visits. In addition, there exists a diagnosed device in which a standard for transmission of the problem generation notification can be set. However, the user or the maintenance worker is required to set the standard manually using an operation panel of the diagnosed device or the apparatus diagnostic device, and thus it is troublesome.